Hi folks,

Unfortunately I can't use TCTerms as I don't know what language this thing is in.

It's a song from Emir Kusturica's film 'Crna macka, beli macor' (Black Cat, White Cat) - Bubamara.

1) What language is this song in?

sa o raomalen phuchena
bubamara sose ni c(k)elel.
devla , devla mangav la
bubamara tuka pocinel.

ej romalen ashunen,
e chavoren gugle zurale.
bubamara chajori,
baro grga voj si o djili.

djindji - rindji bubamaro
ciknije shuzhije
ajde more koj romesa. x2
chavale romalen x3

sa romalen puchela,
o dejori fusuj chudela.
devla devla sa charle,
bubamaru voj te aresel.
ej romalen ashunen,
e chavroren gugle shukaren,
zivoto si ringishpil,
trajo o del rom aj romnji.

djindji - rindji bubamaro
ciknije shuzhije
ajde more koj romesa. x2
chavale romalen x3

ej romalen ashunen
e chavrore gugle zurale
bubamara chajori
baro grga voj si o djili.

djindji - rindji bubamaro
ciknije shuzhije
ajde more goj romesa. x4
te cilabe te chela

2) Could anyone translate me the lines in bold? I don't need a very poetic translation - what I need is just rough meaning of that part. Is it anything about gypsies (romalen)?

Thanks in advance!

NK

Hi Nikita,

Could this give you a lead?
http://forum.sg.hu/listazas.php3?azonosito=blg2001&id=1076590122

The lyrics are discussed in what looks like a multinational forum, apparently Hungarian but I recognize some other languages.  Also saw a discussion group somewhere else saying that it was in Romani.

Maxi

Hi Maxi

Yes, it is also called Romani. However, even in official texts, we call it Roma language. The people speaking it are Gypsies (Cigani in Serbian) but they do not like being called so, because the words "cigani, ciganin" have pejorative meaning in Serbian, Serbo-Croat, Croatian, Bosnian.

There is a long text on Romani language on Wikipedia. I do not know how to insert the URL here, maybe someone could help me please?

Mira

Here it is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_language

Laurent

Hi Nikita,

This is Roma language (not to be confused with Romanian) spoken by the Roma people (better known as Gypsies). The dialects differ from country to country, and this particular dialect is spoken by Roma people in ex Yugoslavian republics, presently countries.

The title of the song, "bubamara", means "ladybug" and the word is adopted from Serbo-Croat. Unfortunately, I can not help you with the rest of the translation.

Mira

Perhaps this link can help you:
http://www.alphadictionary.com/directory/Languages/Indo,045Iranian/Romany_,040Romani,041/

Laurent

Well, it was not yesterday when I first came to TC but I'm still amazed at how useful it may be...

Thank you Maxi, Mira, Laurent, Janfri: you are so friendly and helpful - that's amazing!

Originally written by Janfri Voga on December 12, 2006 12:36 PM Saban Bajramovic sang the original version for the movie 'Black Cat, White Cat'". (text from Dusan Ristic)

Original version? So, does it mean that the song was sung in Serbo-Croat in the movie? It's doubtful as the song sounds like the text cited above and Mira says it's not Serbo-Croat...

Originally written by Mirjana Stepanovic on December 12, 2006 1:49 PM Nikita, Bingo! I contacted them on the phone and they agreed (to try) to translate the song to Serbian.

I'm especially thankful to you, Mira: you have even contacted the Roma society by phone! I feel myself ill at ease as I make so much trouble for you!

Originally written by Mirjana Stepanovic on December 12, 2006 1:49 PM That is the best I can do.

Mira, thank you so much again! It's even more than I need. Please don't trouble to really translate the lyrics: if you could render the general idea of the song in a couple of sentences it would be just the thing I need. And it's not urgent: it would be very kind of you to do when you've got some free time.

Nik

I'm from Bulgaria and in our folklore when you find a ladybug you're supposed to put it on your finger and say: "ladybug ladybug show me where my love lies" - you're supposed to follow the direction the ladybug flies off from your finger and look for the love of your life there. I think that the chorus is referring to that version of the ladybug tradition (Go away, I'm not for marriage) especially knowing how much of balkan folklore has intertwined over the centuries. The man is jsut saying to the ladybug he want's to stay single

Well, in Poland they say: Bierdoneczko lec do nieba przynies mi kawalek chleba. Ladybug, fly to the sky and bring me a piece of bread. If worse came to worse it can always bring you some bread.

In Denmark, you put the ladybug, called 'en Mariehøne' on your finger and then you tell it to fly up to God and ask for good weather.

No, I haven't made it up

Nanna

Originally written by Mirjana Stepanovic on December 12, 2006 5:24 PM I fell in love with gipsy music long ago before it became popular. Actually the film "Табор уходит в небо", coming from your land triggered it all...

Sure, I do know that film and I like Gypsy music too. The soundtrack for the film was recorded by Lautary band.

Mira, if you like Roma music I would highly recommend you Loyko. It's a new generation of Russian Gypsy musicians.

Loyko - Lautary from Road Of The Gypsies (Russia | World: Gypsy Folk) :: WEB

Nik

Originally written by Mirjana Stepanovic on December 14, 2006 8:38 PM Please let me know how to send it to you, it returened as undeliverable when I tried to send it through your profile page.

Hi Mira,

Returned as undeliverable? It's very strange. I have just checked my TC e-mail forms and they work OK. Perhaps you could try again? And to be on the safe side I will also privately let you know my address.

Nik

Mirjana, Nikita,

Šaban Bajramović -the original author of Bubamara- helds tomorrow a special concert in Belgrade (Sava Center) which is sold out. Nikita, if you have any Serbian TV cable station, check out the news, since Mr. Bajramović has been often this week on TV. By the way, his new album has a very suggestive name: Romano Raj.

Jairo

Hi folks,

I see people specially register at TC to get the translation of Bubamara: I could never imagine it is so popular...

Originally written by Timothy Rizzo on December 24, 2006 8:34 AM yes, please, post it here! i've been looking for this for a while..

Timothy and Petros,

I've got a kind permission to publish the translations and here you are:

Originally written by Timothy Rizzo on December 24, 2006 8:34 AM also, please let me recommend the version of the song recorded by the no smoking orchestra for their 'unza unza time' album, which (like the rest of the album) is incredible and fun.

  

I've heard that album - not bad really.

NK

Originally written by Nikita Kobrin on December 26, 2006 6:04 AM Hi folks, I see people specially register at TC to get the translation of Bubamara: I could never imagine it is so popular... Originally written by Timothy Rizzo on December 24, 2006 8:34 AM yes, please, post it here! i've been looking for this for a while.. Timothy and Petros, I've got a kind permission to publish the translations and here you are: Originally written by Timothy Rizzo on December 24, 2006 8:34 AM also, please let me recommend the version of the song recorded by the no smoking orchestra for their 'unza unza time' album, which (like the rest of the album) is incredible and fun.    I've heard that album - not bad really. NK

this is excellent, thank you!

however, the first part in a version sang by Saban Bajramovic is missing:

Sa e romen puchela,
bubamara sose achela,
devla devla vacar le,
bubamara tuka pocinel.

does anyone have any idea what "achela" and "vacar" means?

thank you.

The Lithuanian ladybug has many names, the main of those being boružė; yet it is very seldom addressed to by that name. The names to address it are dievo karvytė (Little Cow of God - like the Russian божья корвка), Marytė (little Mary), Katrytė (little Kate)... Most often, it is addressed by children in short songs - "spells":

Dievo karvyte,

Skriski į dangų!

Tavo vaikeliai

Laukia prie lango...

Sometimes they say:

Petruška Maruška,

Katram šone balta duona,

Katram šone juoda duona?

"Petruška Maruška (it is not a very popular name for the bug), where is the white bread, where is the black bread?"; the bug always flies towards white bread.

Or they ask:

Maryt Katryt,

Kada bus lietaus?

Ar rytoj, ar poryt?

"Little Mary, little Kate, will it rain tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?"; if the bug flies away when the word rytoj or poryt is spoken, that means it will rain tomorrow or the day after tomorrow; if it does when any of the other words is pronounced, that means it doesn`t want to tell.

And so on...

Originally written by Dodo Kaipdodo on June 4, 2009 5:39 PM The Lithuanian ladybug has many names, the main of those being boružė; yet it is very seldom addressed to by that name. The names to address it are dievo karvytė (Little Cow of God - like the Russian божья корвка), Marytė (little Mary), Katrytė (little Kate)... Most often, it is addressed by children in short songs - "spells": Dievo karvyte, Skriski į dangų! Tavo vaikeliai Laukia prie lango... Sometimes they say: Petruška Maruška, Katram šone balta duona, Katram šone juoda duona? "Petruška Maruška (it is not a very popular name for the bug), where is the white bread, where is the black bread?"; the bug always flies towards white bread. Or they ask: Maryt Katryt, Kada bus lietaus? Ar rytoj, ar poryt? "Little Mary, little Kate, will it rain tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?"; if the bug flies away when the word rytoj or poryt is spoken, that means it will rain tomorrow or the day after tomorrow; if it does when any of the other words is pronounced, that means it doesn`t want to tell. And so on...

Some people in Poland call it boza krowka too, I am not sure in which region, I am not sure after such a long time if it was only my grandmother or other people too. Usually they call it biedronka. They just ask her to bring bread, without specifying which color, but I guess they mean something like a baguette since black or dark bread was usually associated with prison, although it is my favourite. Czarny chleb i czarna kawa is a prison song.